PUPILS, staff and parents at a closure-threatened school were finally rejoicing today after it shed the "failing" tag which hung over it for more than two years.

PUPILS, staff and parents at a closure-threatened school were finally rejoicing today after it shed the "failing" tag which hung over it for more than two years.

Park Hall School, in Castle Bromwich, had been in special measures since October 2005 when it was judged to be failing to give pupils an adequate standard of education.

Inspectors from Ofsted paid a follow-up visit at the end of 2006, when they said standards remained below average and pupil achievement was still inadequate.

But Park Hall, which is now run by headteacher Ann Green on secondment from Arden School, in Solihull, has emerged from special measures after 28 months.

Mrs Green said: "A school that doesn't come out of special measures in two years faces the prospect of closure.

"There were certainly discussions between the local authority and the education department, and what was requested was for Ofsted to give us a bit more time to turn it around.

"That has now proved the case and we are all thrilled that we have come out of special measures."

The school in Water Orton Road is due to get a new building as part of an £83 million scheme to rebuild four secondary schools in Solihull.

Mrs Green added: "We have been told we are now good in behaviour, which is a tribute to the pupils and the loyalty they have shown, and satisfactory in areas like teaching and learning. The pupils are jubilant to have this stigma taken off them.

"The proviso is that our GCSE results improve in August, and all our indications are that this will be the case. I'm sure our results will be great."

This would built on a ten per cent improvement which Park Hall School achieved last year when 41 per cent of pupils achieved five A*-C passes at GCSE.